I agree with the above post and want to add a couple of thoughts. The best way, by far, to learn engine building is to learn it from someone who already knows. These days, there are some decent books. But a lot of what you need to know you aren't going to find anywhere but inside the head of an experienced builder. I am lucky to have a good friend who has built hundreds of race motors and I am amazed at the "tricks" he has learned and all the pitfalls he has seen and knows how to avoid.

Rich

 

Er, my times and MPH aside from the discussion...

IMO for the few hundred bucks a shop typically charges to assemble the shortblock, I know that I will be leaving that aspect of it to the experts.

Look into victoryracingengines.com

 

I never said that, maybee you took what i said the wrong way. But, the majority of the properly tuned LE packages Ive seen are within that MPH range. If im wrong please let me know, I have no problem saying I was wrong. What i was trying to state in my original post was that he wasnt really going to gain a lot going from a 383-396.

 

IF everything else is the same the stroker will be quicker even though the peak torque and hp are the same. The "area under the curve" for both torque and hp will be greater and thus the "average hp" will be greater over time. Maybe 5% for a 383 and another couple of percent for a 396 over a 350. The difference isn't huge, but it is nearly "free" hp. That said, I still think a 383 makes more sense for reasons already stated.

Rich

 

All I can say is I have not seen one LE combo on this board that has hit 120+mph on a stock short block. Perhaps they exist somewhere, but here is not the place. However I do see alot of LE heads/cam combo dyno numbers that look like they could run the mph...
The one issue I will say you are wrong with is trying to compare two cars with two different setups located in two different areas.

 

Here in centeral Oklahoma (where my times are from) the D/A is always bad. Cars from my area typically run 2 to 3 tenths faster down at Texas Motorplex (your area). Then at Houston (sea level), they have run 3 to 4 tenths faster.

For example; A friend of mine in the Street Class had a local track best of 13.14. He bracket raced every weekend here and I've never seen him run better that that. At Ennis he was dialed-in at 12.82 and broke out.

Now that I have the 6-Point roll-bar w/ 5-point harness (no safety restrictions), I would like to make some runs there at Ennis, or Houston. I have some 11.30s @ 120+ MPH locally, so possibly some high 10s in Texas???

WD

 

I read you. I've raced up at the track in or around Moore some years ago when I still lived in DFW for a f-body meet. Just saw that you're approx 1200ft ele. I never had good times from there. Whenever I wanted better times I'd always make a road trip to HRP since they opened earlier and stayed open later in the year than Ennis as well as being right at sea level.

 

I agree with you completely! So, when are you moving back home to the DFW area so we can going racing at Ennis?

WD

 

u can go with victoryracingengines.com, a 396 is only $50 more than the 383

 

The Victory Racing guys look like they use some quality stuff...You can't go wring with Callies stuff...I run a Callies crank, Oliver billet steel 5.85" rods, and JE pistons...for 12 years! It looks like Victory uses similar stuff...If its one piece of advice I could give its to overbuild the bottom end. Do it once and do it right and you'll have years of reliable service...It may cost more in the beginning, but you'll be happy later...

--Alan

 

Several people have posted how difficult and risky a 396 stroker is to build-up. However, if you’re buying a professionally built 396 short-block from a reputable engine builder, that simply isn’t an issue!

WD

 

i agree, my local machine shop will not do a 396, so i looked into a VRE 396, but found a block locally

 

I built my first 377"...then I built a 388" from those parts...then I got greedy and wanted a 414" and ruined a perfectly good block.

Then I built a 396" and the ONLY reason I went with it over a 383" was I wanted to pull my rpm range down because my cylinder heads are stout. It did not work...the bastard is pulling hard at 7K rpm. I actually had a reason for going with more stroke.

I build my own engines...I assume that risk....I can read a veneers, read a torque wrench and have patience. The 377" and the 388" went together with no grinding...easy as pie. With the 396" I had to do a tremendous amount of grinding to get it to work...I even bought a small base circle cam beforehand which actually was not needed (you live and learn).

If you build the motor....just do a 383" or 388". I ran a Lunati 3.750" crank and Lunati 5.850" rods and had no clearance issues.

You must also have a GOOD machine shop to do quality work or you will ruin your stuff.

 

Your engine will live and/or die by this mantra.

 

As I have said this is not my first build up. I have built 16 gas engines. My best build was a 468 big block 8-71 blower alchool injected. Pulled a dyno pull of 1280 hp. So I'm no stranger to building them. I build diesel engines for a profession. But the main thing is I'm looking at Golen gives you a 3yr warranty on parts lifetime on building labor. So what i'm getting at is the money I would have in building it my self is not that far off from ordering it with a warranty. By the time I get a new block have it machined & order the parts. The original question was if any one was having problems with the 383 or 396. I have built 3 383 with no problems but have not been around any in EFI cars so I didn't know if they cause any unforseen problems the 383 that is. The 396 like I said I have not been around. Thanks for every ones input.